1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a car-mounted input device which allows various electrical devices mounted in a car to be collectively operated by a single manual operating section, and more particularly, to a means for improving operability of the input device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, cars are equipped with various electrical devices, such as air conditioners, radios, televisions, CD players, and navigation systems. When such multiple electrical devices are individually operated by respective operating members provided therefor, problems may arise during driving of cars. In order to easily turn a desired electrical device on and off and to easily select functions thereof while safely driving the car, a car-mounted input device has been proposed hitherto, which allows various electrical devices to be operated in various manners by manipulating a single manual operating section.
Such a conventional car-mounted input device will be described below with reference to FIGS. 28 to 31. FIG. 28 is an interior view of a car, showing an example of a manner of installation of a conventional car-mounted input device, FIG. 29 is a side view of the conventional car-mounted input device, FIG. 30 is a plan view of a manual operating section in the car-mounted input device shown in FIG. 29, and FIG. 31 is a plan view of a guide plate incorporated in the car-mounted input device shown in FIG. 29.
Referring to FIG. 28, a conventional car-mounted input device 100 of this example is installed in a console box 200 between the driver""s seat and the front passenger""s seat in a car. As shown in FIG. 29, the car-mounted input device 100 primarily comprises a manual operating section 110 (see FIG. 30) serving as a signal input means and including two click switches 111 and 112 and three rotary variable resistors 113, 114, and 115, an X-Y table 120 to be driven in two intersecting directions (a direction orthogonal to the plane of the paper in FIG. 29 and a right and left direction in the figure) by the manual operating section 110, a stick controller 130 serving as a position signal input means for inputting signals in accordance with the direction and amount of operation of the X-Y table 120 to external devices, and a guide plate 140 (see FIG. 31) in engagement with an engaging pin 160 projecting from the lower surface of the X-Y table 120.
The manual operating section 110 and the X-Y table 120 are combined via a connecting shaft 150, and the X-Y table 120 and the guide plate 140 are engaged by movably fitting the leading end of the engaging pin 160 in a guide groove 141 formed on the guide plate 140. The guide groove 141 may have an arbitrary shape such that the leading end of the engaging pin 160 can move in specific directions. For example, as shown in FIG. 31, the guide groove 141 may be formed in the shape of a cross in plan view on the upper surface of the guide plate 140 so that the leading end of the engaging pin 160 can move from the center position A to end points B, C, D, and E along two directions that are substantially orthogonal thereto. That is, the engaging pin 160 can be moved along the guide groove 141 of the guide plate 140 via the X-Y table 120 by operating the manual operating section 110. In a state in which the leading end of the engaging pin 160 is placed at the point A, B, C, D, or E in the guide groove 141, information (a position signal) about the engaging position is output from the stick controller 130. For this reason, it is possible to alternatively select a function of the car-mounted electrical device to be operated (a function to be controlled) based on such a position signal. When a desired function of the electrical device is selected, it can be adjusted and switched by appropriately operating the three rotary variable resistors 113 to 115 provided in the manual operating section 110.
The car-mounted input device 100 with such a configuration can collectively operate a plurality of electrical devices mounted in the car, in combination with a switch device 170 for alternatively selecting a desired one of the plural electrical devices, a display device 180 for displaying the name of the electrical device selected by the switch device 170, the details of the operation by the car-mounted input device 100, and the like, and a computer (not shown) for controlling the electrical devices. The switch device 170 is installed in the console box 200. Control switches 171a to 171e of the switch device 170 are placed adjacent to the car-mounted input device 100, and are respectively connected to different electrical devices. For example, when it is assumed that the control switches 171a to 171e are respectively connected to an air conditioner, a radio, a television, a CD player, and a navigation system mounted in the car, the air conditioner is turned on and off and an air conditioner mode is designated in the car-mounted input device 100 by operating the control switch 171a, and the radio is turned on and off and a radio mode is designated in the car-mounted input device 100 by operating the control switch 171b. Similarly, by operating the other control keys 171c to 171e, the electrical devices corresponding thereto are turned on and off, and the modes thereof are designated in the car-mounted input device 100. The display device 180, such as a liquid crystal display, is placed at such a position that it is readily viewed from the driver""s seat, and the computer is installed inside the console box 200.
While the functions of the electrical device selected by the switch device 170 can be selected and controlled by operating the car-mounted input device 100, the functions to be selected and controlled by operating the car-mounted input device 100 vary depending on the type of the selected electrical device. For example, when an air conditioner mode is designated by operating the switch device 170, the engaging pin 160 is placed into the end point B in the guide groove 141 of the guide plate 140 by operating the manual operating section 110, and the click switch 111 is depressed and clicked, whereby a function xe2x80x9cair flow controlxe2x80x9d is selected. When the engaging pin 160 is placed into the end point C in the guide groove 141 and the click switch 111 is clicked, a function xe2x80x9ccontrol of air blow positionxe2x80x9d is selected. Similarly, when the engaging pin 160 is placed into the end points D and E in the guide groove 141 and the click switch 111 is clicked, functions xe2x80x9ccontrol of air blow directionxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9ctemperature controlxe2x80x9d are selected.
After the function is selected, it can be controlled by appropriately operating the rotary variable resistors 113 to 115. For example, when an air conditioner mode is selected by the switch device 170 and xe2x80x9cair flow controlxe2x80x9d is selected by the manual operating section 110, the volume of air from the air conditioner can be controlled by operating the rotary variable resistor 113. When the air conditioner mode is similarly selected and xe2x80x9ccontrol of air blow positionxe2x80x9d is selected, the air blow position of the air conditioner can be controlled by operating the rotary variable resistors 114 and 115. When a radio mode is selected by the switch device 170 and xe2x80x9cvolume controlxe2x80x9d is selected by manual operating section 110, the volume of the radio can be controlled by operating the rotary variable resistor 113. When the radio mode is similarly selected and xe2x80x9ctuningxe2x80x9d is selected, the radio can be tuned by operating the rotary variable resistors 114 and 115.
In the conventional car-mounted input device 100, the direction and range of operation of the manual operating section 110 are limited by fitting the leading end of the engaging pin 160, which is combined with the manual operating section 110 via the connecting shaft 150 and the X-Y table 120, in the guide groove 141 of the guide plate 140. Therefore, an operator can know the operation limit of the manual operating section 110 from the contact of the leading end of the engaging pin 160 with the end points of the guide groove 141.
In such a configuration, however, when excessive operating force is applied to the manual operating section 110, the engaging pin 160 or the guide groove 141 may be broken. In addition, it is impossible to appropriately adjust the speed for controlling the function of the selected car-mounted electrical device in accordance with the amount of operation of the manual operating section 110. That is, in the conventional car-mounted input device 100, the functions of the selected car-mounted electrical device are not controlled by the manual operating section 110, but are controlled by the rotary variable resistors 113 to 115 provided in the manual operating section 110. Understandably, it is impossible to appropriately adjust the speed for controlling the functions of the selected car-mounted electrical device in accordance with the amount of operation of the manual operating section 110. For this reason, it is necessary to alternately use the manual operating section 110 and the rotary variable resistors 113 to 115, and this may hinder quick control of the functions of the selected car-mounted electrical device.
The present invention has been made to overcome the above problems in the conventional art, and an object of the invention is to provide a car-mounted input device with superior operability which makes it easy to select a desired car-mounted electrical device and to control the functions thereof by using a manual operating section.
In order to overcome the above problems, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a car-mounted input device including: a manual operating section; a control shaft connected to the manual operating section; a position sensor for outputting a position signal in accordance with the direction and amount of operation of the manual operating section; and an actuator for applying external force in the operating direction to the control shaft, wherein, when the manual operating section is operated within a predetermined allowable range of movement, external force preset in accordance with the amount of operation of the manual operating section is given from the actuator to the control shaft.
In this configuration, the operator feels the external force applied from the actuator and can thereby sense the amount of the operation of the manual operating section. Therefore, the operator can finely operate the manual operating section. Accordingly, it is possible not only to select a desired car-mounted electrical device by simply moving the manual operating section from the initial position to the moving limit, but also to control the function of the selected car-mounted electrical device while adjusting the amount of operation of the manual operating section. This can improve operability of the manual operating section and operability of the car-mounted input device. Furthermore, since external force of a predetermined amount is applied from the actuator to the control shaft, the control shaft, a bearing, or the like will not break.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a car-mounted input device including: a manual operating section; a control shaft connected to the manual operating section; a position sensor for outputting a position signal in accordance with the direction and amount of operation of the manual operating section; and an actuator for applying external force to the control shaft, wherein, when the manual operating section is operated in a direction outside a predetermined allowable range of movement, external force preset in accordance with the direction and amount of operation of the manual operating section is applied from the actuator to the control shaft.
In this configuration, when the manual operating section is operated in a direction outside the predetermined allowable range of movement, external force is applied from the actuator to the control shaft. By feeling the external force, the operator can sense whether the operating direction is correct, and can operate the manual operating section only within the allowable range of movement. This improves operability of the manual operating section.
Preferably, the control shaft is pivotally held by a bearing. In this case, the structure for holding the control shaft is simplified, and therefore, the cost is reduced.
Preferably, the control shaft is fixed to a slider so as to slide on a rail. In this case, since the control shaft can be operated along the rail in a fixed plane, operability of the control shaft is improved.
Preferably, the manual operating section can be reciprocally operated only in a specific direction. In this case, it is possible to select a desired car-mounted electrical device and to adjust the function of the car-mounted electrical device by reciprocally operating the manual operating section only in the specific direction, and operability of the manual operating section is improved.
Preferably, the manual operating section can be operated in an arbitrary direction in a specific plane. In this case, it is possible to increase the number of car-mounted electrical devices to be selected and controlled, and to increase the number of functions to be controlled.
The actuator may include a voice coil motor. Since the voice coil motor is used as the actuator for applying external force to the manual operating section, a mechanism for converting the rotation of the motor into reciprocal linear movement is unnecessary, and the size and cost of the car-mounted input device can be reduced.
Preferably, with an increase in amount of operation of the manual operating section, external force to be applied from the actuator to the control shaft is sequentially increased, or the mode of vibration to be applied is changed. This makes it possible to sense the amount of operation of the manual operating section, and to further improve operability of the car-mounted input device.
Preferably, when the manual operating section is operated to a predetermined operation limit, a shocking (i.e. mechanical) external force is applied from the actuator to the control shaft. Since this makes it possible to tactilely detect that the amount of operation of the manual operating section has reached the limit, operability of the car-mounted input device can be further improved.
Preferably, the position sensor is electrically connected to a display device provided in a car via a computer in the car, and the display device displays the type of car-mounted electrical device selected by operating the manual operating section, the function of the car-mounted electrical device to be controlled by operating the manual operating section, and the details of the operation of the manual operating section. In this case, the car occupant can adjust the function of the car-mounted electrical device while checking the contents displayed on the display device and can quickly and reliably adjust the function of the electrical device.
Preferably, a seat adjusting device serving as a car-mounted electrical device for controlling the position of the driver""s seat or the passenger""s seat is operated by the manual operating section. In this case, a required operation can be performed by using the manual operating section within easy reach, and therefore, the position of the driver""s seat or the passenger""s seat may be easily adjusted.
Preferably, a tilting device and a telescoping device provided in a steering device serving as a car-mounted electrical device for adjusting the height of the steering wheel are operated by the manual operating section. In this case, since a required operation can be performed by using the manual operating section within easy reach, the height of the steering wheel may be easily adjusted.
Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.